Let's Make Believe That We Exist
by Blue Goddess Fyre
Summary: Kagome Higurashi of the popular "A Modern Fairytale" series is about to learn that not everything she writes is fantasy. Kag/Ses ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **I've gotten really tired of seeing so many cliched Inuyasha fanfics, especially in the Kag/Ses fandom. It's been rather disconcerting to see so many stories with the same premise, usually with Kagome seeing Inuyasha and Kikyou together and running away only to stumble into Sesshoumaru. (eyeroll) And the whole thing with Kikyou being an evil conniving bitch bent on making Kagome's life a living hell? Seriously, people just don't give her enough credit.  
Thusly, I've again taken up my mouse and keyboard and, with determination, I shall be writing what I hope will turn out to be an original and engaging Kag/Ses pairing fanfic. Wish me luck, neh?  
(Quick note: this is mostly AU. I read spoilers about the ending of the series, and now I'm garnking out about the whole "marriage" thing. Its making me want to hug poor Sesshoumaru...even if it means my death.)

**Disclaimer:** InuYasha and its respective characters are copyrighted to Rumiko Takahashi and her brilliant mind. I make nothing out of writing this, except the pleasure of the written word and reviews from readers.

* * *

_**Let's Make Believe That We Exist**_  
_Chapter 1_

* * *

_...and as the young girl stood at the edge of the clearing, staring at the boy pinned to the great God Tree, an overwhelming sense of familiarity overcame her. She'd never before met this boy, and yet she felt as if she'd known him all her life..._

* * *

Kagome Higurashi, author of the popular novel series "A Modern Fairytale," was in a bind. For the first time since her first novel was published--she'd been sixteen at the time--she didn't know what to write. She'd had bouts of writer's block before, but she'd always eventually overcome them by using one of her frequently strange dreams as inspiration. Six weeks had passed since the debut of the third novel of the "A Modern Fairytale" series, and her deadline for the rough draft was coming up on her fast. The only thing she'd gotten done in all that time...was nothing at all.

"Aww, man," she groaned, drumming her fingers agitatedly on the black plastic of her laptop. "Why can't I figure out what happens next?" Pouting, she glared at the blinking black cursor on the fresh document page. She was pretty sure the damnable thing was mocking her.

Knowing that she wouldn't get anywhere fast in the next few minutes, Kagome rose out of her desk chair and padded her way softly to the kitchen. The apartment she'd moved into after the debut of the first "A Modern Fairytale" novel was small, only just a few square feet bigger than her bedroom back home, but it was her own place, something she could be proud of. Granted, her next door neighbors were rather rowdy, on both sides, and the apartment above hers sounded like a herd of wild elephants was living there, but at least it was a place she'd gotten on her own without any help from her family.

Speaking of family, she remembered that her little brother was turning fifteen in a few days. Like most siblings, she and Souta, her little brother, rarely got along, but at least they didn't fight all the time. Kagome hadn't been home in a while, and hadn't talked to her family in that long a time, too, so she decided she might as well go home to visit them while wishing her little brother a happy birthday. Yup, that's what she'd do, she decided, secretly hoping that her grandfather would regale her with more feudal tales that she could use in hopes of breaking past this block.

Nodding along with her decision, she opened the fridge and retrieved a carton of orange juice before closing the door. She returned to her desk, sipping from the carton as she again stared at the blank document on her computer screen.

"I'll figure you out real soon," she murmured quietly, swiping at a tear that had fallen from her watering eyes. Staring at a glaringly white screen was beginning to take its toll, but Kagome could be stubborn with the best of them. "Real soon..."

--

The darkening clouds hung low in the sky, warning of ominous days to come. Though the forecast had said that there was only a small chance of rain, the clouds spoke differently. "At least I remembered to pack an umbrella this time," Kagome laughed quietly to herself, staring out the window of the bus. Her stop was coming up, and the excitement of seeing the house she'd grown up in was beginning to overwhelm her usual calm serenity.

"Its never good to be caught in a rainstorm without an umbrella," the old woman next to her cackled, agreeing with her muttered words. "That's why I carry one no matter what the forecast says. After all, one can never predict what the gods' feel like doing."

Kagome turned to eye her, smiling slightly. "My grandfather would agree with you there."

"Oh? Wait...you can't be...! Why, if it isn't Higurashi's granddaughter!"

Blinking, Kagome was a bit taken aback by the elderly woman. She knew her? Come to think of it, there were a lot of people that visited the Sunset Shrine, most of whom Kagome had never bothered to get to know. For all she knew, this old woman was a regular visitor. "Uhm, yea, I'm Kagome Higurashi," she murmured, fighting the blush staining her cheeks.

The old woman cackled. "Dear, don't be embarrassed if you don't remember me. It's been many years since I last visited the shrine; why, I think the last time I visited was when your father passed away."

Her words froze the blood in Kagome's veins, her blue eyes widening. It'd been too long since she'd even thought of her father; in some distant part of her mind, she had always wondered why her father was never there. Her mother had occasionally mentioned her father in the past, when she'd still been living at home, but the sadness on her mother's face had always stopped her from asking what had happened to her father. With a pale face, she shifted to completely look at the old woman, her mouth opening to ask her what Kagome had been too afraid to ask before.

However, the bus slowed to a stop, a few feet from the bottom of the steps of the Sunset Shrine.

"Here's your stop, dear," the old woman said, standing so that Kagome could scootch out from the window seat. "I hope you have a wonderful visit."

"Uh, thanks," Kagome said, forcing the crestfallen expression from her face as she stood and made her way out of the bus. With her little bag of clothes and necessities in one hand and the unopened umbrella in the other, she exited the bus and stared up at the steps leading home. Home...it was a word that she'd long forgotten the meaning to without realizing, without intending to. When had she begun feeling that this place, this place where she'd been raised since infancy, was no longer home to her?

Shaking herself free of the depressing thoughts, she placed one foot forward, followed by another and another. A journey begins with the first step, she thought to herself, walking ever forward to the bottom of the steps. Upon reaching them, she took a deep breath, and at last placed a foot on the bottom step. With that accomplished, she pushed herself up and placed her foot on the next step. And so on she ascended the steps, her heart beating wildly in her chest the closer she got to the top of the steps. What seemed like ages later, she was at the top of steps, looking at the grounds of the Sunset Shrine, the home that was no longer home.

"Kagome!"

She blinked, suddenly coming to herself, and smiled warmly at the young man practically running towards her. "Long time no see, Souta," she said, bracing herself from falling backwards as her little brother--now taller than her by a good several inches--hugged her with the enthusiasm of somebody happy to see a familiar face. "How's my suddenly-fifteen-year-old little brother?"

He pulled away long enough to grin down at her. "Happy to see you, of course!" He hugged her close again, squeezing tight one last time before releasing her. "When Mama said that you'd be visiting for my birthday, I half didn't believe her. But, here you are, just like she said!"

Kagome laughed, tapping her brother on the shoulder with the closed umbrella in her hand. "As if I'd miss seeing you turn fifteen. When haven't I returned to celebrate your birthday, or Mama's, or even Grandpa's?"

"Haha, you got me there, Kagome," he laughed in return, reaching to take her bag.

"Na-uh, birthday boy," she said, playfully glaring. "No heavy lifting for you; and besides, I'm already twenty-two, well beyond the age where I can't do things for myself."

"Whatever you say, big sister," he grinned mockingly, laughing harder when she just batted him on the head with the umbrella. "Anyways, Mama and Grandpa are in the house, so, come on!" He turned, practically running to the house in the back of the shrine. His exuberance made Kagome laugh; she'd missed her excitable little brother, even if he got on her nerves sometimes. With nothing else to do but follow, she hitched her bag over one shoulder and trotted after him, not wanting to walk, or run for that matter.

When she entered the kitchen door of her childhood home, she was practically pounced on by her mother and grandfather, so happy were the two to see her safe and sound. They began to berate her over not calling for so long, and not giving them her new cell number, but after a few evasive replies attention was returned to the birthday boy, who stood the family mushiness for only so long.

Seeing her family so happy after so long, Kagome for a minute was struck by the fact that they had lived on without her, lived on happily, even if they spared a worried thought for her. It wasn't that she was jealous, far from it, but the realization just reminded her of the lonely little apartment that she'd been so proud of. Women her age would have already had plenty of boyfriends, but she'd never had one. Hojo didn't count, since he'd only been obsessed with her frequent absences the year she'd turned fifteen.

Frowning, she pushed away the depressing thoughts and memories, forcing herself to be happy for her little brother's sake. It was his day, after all, and the world did not revolve around herself and her loneliness. "Come on, when is the birthday boy gonna get his presents and cake?" She asked, throwing herself into the familial fray.

The rest of the day passed in much the same manner, with a few of Souta's friends showing up to help celebrate. Kagome helped her mother bake the cake in the kitchen, and help make dinner for the family and guests. She even helped her grandfather bring in several boxes that turned out to be priest outfits for Souta, who had decided to take after their grandfather and become the shrine's head priest. Throughout it all, Kagome was reminded that she didn't truly belong. Her family had never really approved of her writing career, even when her newest series had gained such a strong popularity. For some reason, the fantastic world she presented in "A Modern Fairytale" disturbed them, often to the point that they turned their backs on her. She'd been careful not to mention her books after that, and had eventually moved out due to the suffocating silence that seemed to surround the house.

Later that evening, after Souta had left to go out with his friends, Kagome helped clean up the house, surprising her mother and grandfather with her willingness to help around the house.

Finally, after the fifth time her daughter asked what else she could do to help, Mrs. Higurashi turned to her and asked,"Kagome, dear, is something wrong?"

Frozen for a minute, Kagome thought about telling her mother the truth, that she wasn't able to begin writing the fourth book of her novel series, but if she did so, she'd probably get scolded for continuing to write such a story. She felt bad about not being able to go to her family for help, but with the way they treated her writing, she also felt that she was justified in ignoring their offer of help.

"Everything's fine, Mama," Kagome smiled, quickly turning away so that her mother's keen eyes could not pick up on her distress.

Frowning, Mrs. Higurashi sighed, foregoing pressing further into her adult daughter's affairs. Ever since that first book had been published, a rift had been torn between Kagome and her family. Mrs. Higurashi regretted alienating her daughter in such a way, but in order to preserve the family honor, she had to continue disapproving of Kagome's books. She couldn't let what happened when Kagome was fifteen happen again. "Alright, Kagome," she said quietly, her mother's heart crying out in pain.

Kagome nodded, unable to speak, and hurried to the kitchen door. "I'm going to go buy some snacks at the convenience store," she called behind her, shoving some crumpled bills in her pants pocket before she closed the door behind her. Breathing deeply for a moment of the clear night air, she set out on the familiar path across the shrine grounds, down the steps, and around the corner to the sidewalk that led to the nearby convenience store.

Even after years of absence, the store was still pretty much the same as she remembered, and carried the same products she remembered from her early teenage years. She bypassed the extensive ramen selection, her stomach knotting momentarily, heading directly back to the refridgerated area. She grabbed a carton of orange juice, letting her head hang in the coolness of the fridge for just a moment, only moving when a cough sounded behind her, making her move. With her orange juice carton, she headed to the cash register, grabbing a small box of milk-flavored pocky along the way.

"Well, if it isn't Kagome Higurashi!" The clerk smiled at her as she handed him her items. "I haven't seen you around in ages; how's life been treating ya?"

"Oh, so-so, thanks," she answered, not even bothering to try to remember who this man was.

"Hmm, its been quite a few years--seven, if I'm not mistaken," the clerk continued to chat, ringing up her purchases. "Man, I remember back when you used to buy several tons of ramen every few weeks. I seriously had never seen a fifteen-year-old girl buy so many ramen packages."

Blinking, she paid him on autopilot, her mind trying to figure out when exactly she'd bought tons of ramen. Kagome couldn't stand the stuff, and became ill just by standing near it. Why would she have bought tons of the stuff if she didn't like it? "It was nice seeing you again," she told him, taking the bag from him.

"See ya," he waved, already turning to the next person in line.

Leaving the store, she paused outside at the entrance, opening up the carton of orange juice to drink on the way home. As she trudged her way back, she considered all the questions roaming her mind. Nothing about those two occurrences were related, but they still left her feeling confused and a little lost. Maybe...maybe she should ask her mother about what happened to her father...and why she couldn't exactly remember the year after she turned fifteen.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **GARNK!! Did people really like the first chapter that much? I seriously wasn't expecting a review until at least the third chapter, since that's what usually happens whenever I post a fic. (sweatdrop) Seriously, guys, I'm really touched, especially by Sesshy-805 for faving it when it only has the first chapter up. (weeps tears of joy) Thank you, everyone, thank you so much! (whispers: "Just wait until I get over fifty reviews. It'll be a rather pathetic sight, I can tell ya that much! XD")  
(Quick note: Yes, it is a Kag/Ses fic, and as for the update scheduling, I'm gonna attempt to type up a chapter a day, but I'm not promising anything. We'll just have to wait and see how things turn out.)

**Disclaimer:** InuYasha and its respective characters are copyrighted to Rumiko Takahashi and her brilliant mind. I make nothing out of writing this, except the pleasure of the written word and reviews from readers.

* * *

**Let's Make Believe That We Exist  
**_Chapter 2_

* * *

_... 'This'll keep you safe,' the boy swore, tossing the crimson fire-rat robe over the girl's head. She gaped up at him from beneath the robe, awestruck by his willingness to forego his own safety and face danger, all in order to protect her..._

* * *

The clacking of the keys on her laptop keyboard filled the dismal silence of her tiny bedroom. It was comforting, since it was the familiar sound of her words flowing freely; the visit to her family had done her good. There was nothing to block the stream of inspiration...well, nothing except her own confused mind. When Kagome had returned to the Sunset Shrine, her mother had immediately sent her off to bed, saying something about a good night's sleep. The next morning, she'd barely had enough time to grab a bite of breakfast before her grandfather dragged her outside to help reorganize one of the storage houses. He'd regaled her all morning with tales passed down through the Higurashi lineage, making the time pass quickly with the tales of silly adventures that were decidedly impossible. She'd heard them a myriad of times as a kid growing up, and knew each one by heart, but the tales were still a welcome respite from the pregnant silence whenever she was around. They kept her busy up until the last moment before she left, leaving her no time to ask the questions that plagued her.

Pausing in her writing, she leaned back in her chair, staring up at the speckled ceiling. For a moment, her mind wandered to those same unanswered questions lurking in the recesses of her psyche. Wondering how she should even begin to ask the questions, she twirled the chair slightly, her perspective of the ceiling spinning slowly. She couldn't very well go up to her mother and demand to know what happened to her father, now could she? The situation was the same with that one year she couldn't recall clearly, that year when she'd been frequently ill. If she'd been so ill, why would that store clerk remember her buying ramen, especially since she loathed the stuff?

"It's all just one big mystery, isn't it?" She murmured quietly to herself, startling suddenly at the sound of her own voice echoing in the too-quiet room. Shaking herself free from the apprehension, she reached for her mouse and opened the music player on her computer. Enka began to play almost immediately, filling the room with gentle, rolling waves of drum beats, flutes, and the deep timbre of a male singer. It brought a tired, but genuine, smile to her face. It was one of her guilty pleasures, seeing as how most of her friends from high school were into the pop music scene rather than classical Japanese.

Relaxing back into her chair, she turned back to the document she'd been writing, found her place, and began to type once more, pushing the questions from her mind in order to let the words flow. This time, accompanying the clacking of the keys was the enka music playing softly in the background, all in order to keep the quiet at bay.

A few hours later, when it was nearing midnight, Kagome saved her progress and powered down. Though her mind continued to race along with he story, her tired eyes and sleepy fingers just couldn't keep up. She needed sleep, and a good dream to further the inspiration that was beginning to wan.

Moving to her bed, she stripped off her clothes and let them fall where she dropped them. Throwing herself on the bed, she burrowed beneath the covers, snaking out an arm to grab the remote that flicked off the overhead light, drowning the room in darkness. With both arms safely beneath the covers, she readied herself for sleep.

But sleep would not come easily that night, however. Though she was tired beyond believe, she kept tossing and turning, her mind racing every which way. Sleep eluded her grasping reach, and she wound up staring at the darkened speckled ceiling above. It was the unanswered questions that kept her from slumber, poking and prodding her mind awake to consider them. In near desperation, she rolled onto her stomach, limbs splayed, with her head turned to the side on her pillow. The position warmed her tummy, which always made her sleep easier, much like eating a big meal.

At last, she drifted off into slumber, the soft, warm blankets lulling her into the realm of dreams.

--

When next she awoke, Kagome had the distinct feeling that her dreams had whispered to her something important, but for the life of her she couldn't remember. Blinking blearily about the room, she noted how weak the sunbeams were, the ones that were shining in through the frilly white curtains. It had to be early morning, or late night, she couldn't remember which. Her brain was muddled from sleep and exhaustion tugged at her limbs, begging her to fall back asleep. Unfortunately, what had woken her in the first place dared to ring again: it was her cell phone, whose number she rarely gave out for unknown reasons, unknown even to herself.

Crawling across the bed and out of the covers, she grunted when she fell off the bed, her knees thudding against the floor. When the phone continued to ring, she glared at where it vibrated on the desk next to her computer. Rising shakily to her feet, she stumbled across the last few feet and flipped open the phone. "Heeeeello?" She yawned.

"Kagome," chirped the person on the other end. "It's Yuka!"

"Hey, Yuka, what's up?"

Yuka giggled on her end. "Well, me, Ayumi, and Eri were hanging out at that Wacdonald's we used to eat out at during high school? Anyway, so we were hanging out there when these four _hot_ guys approach us, asking us if we want to go to karaoke with them! Long story short, we need a fourth girl and--"

Kagome sighed, hunching her shoulders as she sat down and flopped onto her back, staring at the overly-familiar ceiling. If she wasn't careful, she'd start counting the speckles. "You want me to be the fourth girl, right?"

"Yup, that's right! You need to get out more, Kagome," Yuka scolded. "Not every boy you meet is going to be as good a catch as Hojo was!"

"Key word 'was,' Yuka," she muttered. "You know that Hojo and I didn't really click, even after I got better."

There was a whispered pause before Yuka came back on the line. "Kagome, stop being such a mope, seriously! When did you get so depressing? Look, just meet us at the Wacdonalds in an hour in your best clothes, alright? Bye!"

Kagome was left staring at the phone in her hand, blinking at her old friend's rather abrupt end to the call. Truthfully, she didn't want to get out of bed, but if she didn't, Yuka would probably badger her into the next millennium; she _really_ didn't need that right now, so, sighing, she flipped the phone closed and rose from her seat on the floor. Not even bothering to hurry, she made the effort to make her bed, straightening the sheets and tucking the blankets back under the top mattress.

Once her room was set to rights, she opened the tiny closet and pulled out a star print tank top and a pair of jeans. The top was cute, and more than enough to make up for the casual jeans. She hadn't bothered buying a skirt in a few years, and all the old ones hanging at the back of the closet most likely wouldn't fit her anymore. Her hips had widened in the years since she'd first gotten the skirts, but she didn't really mind. The only time she needed to wear a skirt was when meeting her editor somewhere fancy. She headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower, quickly toweling off and changing into a fresh pair of underwear, bra included, before slipping into her clothes. On a a last minute thought, she took a hair tie and quickly pulled her hair back into a bun. It was shorter than what she'd had it back in high school, so it would probably be half falling out by the time her hair dried, but what did she care? Kagome wasn't going to the group date because she _wanted_ to, after all.

Taking one last moment in the bathroom to regard herself in the mirror, Kagome frowned at her reflection. The blue eyes she'd obviously gotten from her father were rather dull, having gray-ed out over the years as she'd matured. Though, she was pretty sure that her eyes still held some of the sparkle of youth, at least when she smiled, she hoped. Pouting her lips, she contemplated the idea of putting on a bit of makeup. At her age, she didn't really need it, but was she paling out that badly? Maybe a bit of blush would do the trick...

"No," she told herself firmly, stopping her hand from reaching into the medicine cabinet. "I don't have to pretty myself up for perfect strangers. After all, Yuka was the one who invited me along; it'll be on her head whether or not I'm up to snuff for those supposed 'hotties.'"

Nodding at herself in the mirror, she allowed one quick smile to grace her cupid's bow shaped lips before turning and exiting the bathroom. Grabbing her purse and keys, she closed the door and locked it behind her, feeling lighter for her refusal to fall into line with Yuka's machinations. She'd find a boyfriend on her own time, and her own terms.

It took her about fifteen minutes by bus to get to the stop near the Wacdonalds her group of friends had hung out at during high school. Memories clung to the building, most of them happy memories of eating junk food and gossiping with her friends. Walking up to the entrance, she saw through the glass her old friends--Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi--clustered in what had once been their usual table. Four attractive men were hanging around them, smiling invitingly at them. Kagome's hand froze on the door pull as she got a good look at the men. They were attractive, and hot, to put it mildly. Seeing their beauty, and her friends', made her want to turn tail and run home. She regretted not dressing herself up prettier, regretted her decision to hate the outing. They were _so_ cute!

Taking a deep, steadying breath against the sudden shyness, she pulled the door open and stepped into the air conditioning, goosebumps raising over her bare arms.

"Kagome!" Yuka was the first to notice her. She stood up, waving her arm at her old friend, smiling happily as Kagome made her way over to the table. Yuka turned to the boy sitting next to her, giving him a flirtatious smile. "This is Kagome, that friend I told you about."

The four men looked up at her, and the tiny, easily hidden, disappointment shining in their eyes made Kagome want to follow through with her first instinct. "Nice to meet you," she said quietly, demurely.

"Same here, Kagome," they each said in turn, no real feeling behind the words.

The tone was not lost on Ayumi, who frowned thoughtfully as she gazed between Kagome and the men. She knew immediately what was going on, though she knew better than to point it out. She'd been the first to realize that, over the years, Kagome had become withdrawn and shy, as if she was afraid of being hurt by those around her. Ayumi had no idea what would cause such a change in the normally out-going girl, but she guessed it had something to do with Kagome's old 'boyfriend'...

"So, now that we're all here, let's go karaoke!" Yuka clapped excitedly, nudging the man sitting beside her. He rose, along with the rest of his buddies, and almost immediately three of them paired up with the other girls, leaving the slowest with Kagome. The move wasn't lost on any of the girls, who only felt pity for Kagome just then. Kagome, on the other hand, felt embarrassed and angry that those guys hadn't even thought to be courteous.

Angrily, Kagome let the slowest of the four guys lead her out of the Wacdonalds and down the sidewalk after the other three couples. He chatted aimlessly while she seethed, barely holding her temper together. She didn't want to embarrass herself further by bursting out yelling--or crying, as part of her was desperately wishing to do.

About halfway to the karaoke place, the group had to stop at a crosswalk. Kagome stared ahead, her eyesight wavering as she gave up focusing on anything in particular. Just then, something on the other side of the street caught her eye; she forgot all about her anger and embarrassment, and just about everything, for that one moment.

"Kagome? What are you doing?"

Eri's startled question brought her back to herself, just in time before she'd taken a step into oncoming traffic. What had she been thinking? That vision, though, the one she'd seen across the street, that vision that had called to her as a siren calls to a sailor. It was all at once familiar and new, sending shivers down her spine. A vision of silver and gold danced in her mind's eye, the actual vision fading rapidly. Shaking herself free of the vision, she turned her attention back to the group, and walked alongside the too-slow man as the crossing signal finally changed from do not cross to cross.

But that vision...that vision of silver and gold...she just couldn't get it out of her mind. Why was it so familiar?

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Sorry, everybody, about not updating in several months. I've been busy with work, and going to a few anime conventions. But, I'm back now with a new chapter, and hopefully the drive to finish up this strange story. Its a rather short chapter, but it'll hopefully get going further next chapter.

**Disclaimer:** InuYasha and its respective characters are copyrighted to Rumiko Takahashi and her brilliant mind. I make nothing out of writing this, except the pleasure of the written word and reviews from readers.

* * *

**Let's Make Believe That We Exist  
**_Chapter 3_

_

* * *

  
... 'Its there, that red skull!' She shouted, pointing to the center of the great tangled pile of hair and skulls. 'Can't you see it? That's the source of all the hair!'...  


* * *

_There was one thing that Kagome had to admit when it came to her friends and karaoke: they were all much better than her. It wasn't that she was terrible at singing; she just didn't listen to enough popular songs to easily recognize the songs in the directory. Every time the microphone was passed to her, she passed it on to the next person, mostly with the excuse that her throat hurt. All around her, in between songs, the boys and her friends chatted like they knew each other, and not like they'd just met.

Frowning as the conversation drifted to various subjects, she glanced to the side at the man that was supposedly hers for the date. He looked like he was trying very hard not to glare at his friends jealously. She guessed that he was probably pissed that his friends had left the "unattractive" girl to him, not that she wasn't mad for the same reason. Any girl would've been mad at the obvious snub by the other three men, but she didn't often express her anger to strangers, or anyone else for that matter. Most of the time, she went off on her own to vent the anger, but she couldn't do that right now, given the situation.

Sighing mentally, she turned to her companion, deciding to strike up a conversation. She asked him, "Do you have any particular books you like to read?"

The question seemed to startle him momentarily, but the brightening of his dark mood proved that she'd struck a winning topic. "I'm not usually a fan of reading," he confessed, leaning a little forward, as if to whisper conspiratorially to her. "But there's this one author that's just drawn me in with her new series."

"Really? Who is she?"

"Goes by the name of Higurashi, I believe--"

"He's really obsessed with her books, actually," one of the other men interrupted, leaning on his friend in a joking manner. "Wouldn't be surprised if he had a shrine in the back of his closet!"

The other two men laughed, meanwhile Kagome's friends were looking pointedly at her, as if to prod her into furthering the conversation. She had no idea whether or not it'd be a good idea to reveal herself as the author, since her editor often advised against revealing herself in public to keep from being mobbed. It wasn't just that her fans were getting a little zealous; there were also a few, quite vocal, groups that made no secret of the fact that they thought her books the "work of the devil." It would have been funny if it wasn't for the fact that they sometimes sent threatening letters through her publisher.

"Kagome could get you an autograph, if you want," Yuka announced, exasperated by Kagome's indecision.

"REALLY?" The man grinned, looking as if he'd just won the lottery. "That'd be so SWEET! Man, I love Higurashi's works, especially the "A Modern Fairytale" series, what with the half-demon and the time-traveler's adventures in the feudal era--"

Again he was interrupted by his friends. "Better stop him or he'll start quoting from the books," they laughed.

Pouting, he crossed his arms and glared at them. "Well, its a good series, and just goes to show that not everyone has forgotten the days when demons roamed Japan freely, and not just in myths."

Kagome surprised herself by snorting at his words. When he turned to look at her questioningly, she explained, "Demons aren't real. If they were, humankind wouldn't have gotten as far as we have. I mean, don't you think that if demons existed, that they would have either killed off all the humans, or at least enslaved them?"

"Not true," he snarled. "Demons have a more strict sense of honor than humans ever could!"

"Oh, you can't believe that! They don't even exist, so how could they have a sense of honor? Also, how could you explain the fact that they often slaughtered whole villages just for the fun of it? Demons have no honor!"

Kagome was starting to get angry, and over a silly little dispute that started from asking him about books. They were even arguing over the world she'd created in her books! This was getting beyond ridiculous.

Just in time, Ayumi rode to the rescue and changed the topic before he could reply. "Hey, Kagome, whatever happened to your two-timing boyfriend?"

Blinking, she turned to her friend, frowning. "Who?"

Eri perked up at the swift change of topic. "Yea, I wonder what happened to him. You were always ranting on and on about him a few years ago, and then you got into that accident... Oops." She blushed, suddenly ashamed at adding to the conversation.

"What 'oops'?" Kagome demanded, suspicious now. She didn't remember anything about having a boyfriend, especially a two-timing one. And what did Eri mean by 'accident'?

Ayumi, once again, rode to the rescue. "Your mom asked us after you got out of the hospital not to mention the accident, or Inuyasha."

"Inu...yasha?" She blinked, trying to recall if she knew anyone by that name. But as she tried to force herself to recall, a dull ache developed at the base of her skull. It steadily grew worse the more she thought, the more she tried to remember. The only thing she could recall that linked to the name was a flash of silver and gold, like that image that had almost caused her to walk into traffic. Kagome shook her head, wincing at the throbbing ache. "I don't know anybody by that name. At least, not that I can recall."

The boys all looked at each other, probably wondering if they were getting involved in something dangerous by hanging out with Kagome and her friends.

"I dunno why you wouldn't remember a bastard like him, but I can't blame you," Yuka sniffed, crossing her arms across her chest. "Always going back to his ex, even right in front of you! And that accident! I'm surprised your family didn't sue that guy for all his family was worth."

"Whoa, sounds like one bad dude," the boy next to Eri muttered, snickering to his friends. "Wonder what his ex-girlfriend must've been like, to make him keep going back to her."

"Maybe she was a good lay?"

The girls, affronted, snapped back at the boys. A cacophony rose in the tiny room, aggravating her headache into a full-blown migraine. The din grew louder and louder, until she couldn't take it anymore. She had to stop them, had to stop the pain of remembering!

"Shut up, all of you!"

The room fell silent, the buzzing of the karaoke machine the only sound in the small room. Kagome stood, her fists clenched at her sides. She glared down at her friends, at the boys. "I...am going home," she said, her voice shaking, her teeth clenched.

"Kagome...are you okay?" Ayumi stood, a worried frown on her face. "You don't...look too good."

"I'm NOT okay!" Kagome snapped, tears dotting at the corners of her eyes. "I don't know who the hell you're talking about, or what this 'accident' even is! I can't remember an entire year of my life, an entire YEAR, Ayumi!" She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I should never have agreed to come out with you. Not when I could have stayed home, alone."

"Kagome..." Eri bit her lip, saying nothing more. Everyone else was silent, as Ayumi sat back down, cowed by Kagome's angry words. "Guess...we'll be seeing you later?"

"Don't count on it," she muttered, marching to the door, her hand gripping the doorknob. Tugging the door open, she stormed out, slamming the door closed behind her.  


* * *


End file.
